Year of the 'Jacks - December
7/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
2014-15 proved to be arguably the most memorable year in the history of Stephen F. Austin Athletics. Nine regular season conference titles, three NCAA postseason appearances, seven Coach of the Year honors, seven All-Americans, 23 Southland Conference major award winners, a national runner-up showing and the program's first Division I national champion. Over the next few weeks, SFAJacks.com looks back at the highlights of SFA's historic 2014-15 season, a season which came to be known as the "Year of the `Jacks."
DECEMBER
Records: Men's Basketball (7-0); Women's Basketball (4-1)
Nights of #PurpleLights: 9
Dec. 2 – MBB – Lumberjacks Take Down Tigers in Memphis
SFA used a strong second half to push past Memphis, 64-62, in a road contest at FedEx Forum. Clide Geffrard came off the bench to lead the Lumberjacks with 14 points, while Jacob Parker poured in 13.
Dec. 3 – SOC – Three Ladyjacks Named All-Central Region
After experiencing terrific senior seasons for the Ladyjacks, Zuri Prince, Chelsea Raymond and Megan Dunnigan were each named to the 2014 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Women’s All-Central Region team. Prince was selected to the first team as a midfielder, Raymond was a second team forward and Dunnigan was a third team defender. 
Dec. 4 – MGLF – Ward Named SLC Golfer of the Month
Sophomore Baxter Ward was named the Southland Conference Golfer of the Month after winning the individual title at the ASU Fall Beach Classic. It marked the first conference accolade of Ward’s career as SFA clinched its first team title of the season.
Dec. 5 – MBB – SFA Routs Long Beach State
Thomas Walkup and Jared Johnson tallied 16 points apiece to extend SFA’s win streak to four games, toppling LBSU 74-45. The ‘Jacks held the 49ers with out a 3-pointer, and won the battle of the boards, 36-19, including 18 offensive rebounds.
Dec. 9 – VB – Ivy Receives All-Region Honors
After a season leading the Ladyjacks in kills (395) and kills per set (3.56), outside hitter Jill Ivy was named an honorable mention All-Southwest Region by the AVCA.
Dec. 10 – SOC – Glick Named SLC Student-Athlete of the Year
Senior goalkeeper Morgan Glick was named the Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year following the 2014 soccer season. Glick posted a 3.83 GPA in kinesiology with a minor in biology while ranking among the best goalkeepers in the nation during the year.
Dec. 11 – VB – Holland Named Academic All–American, SLC Student–Athlete of the Year
Earning a pair of academic honors on the same day, Paige Holland earned CoSIDA second team Academic All-America status and was crowned the SLC Student-Athlete of the Year. The conference Setter of the Year boasted a 3.97 GPA during her time in purple.
Dec. 14 – WBB – Roberts Has Big Homecoming at No. 9 Baylor
Senior center Porsha Roberts had a big afternoon in her first collegiate game in her hometown against the ninth-ranked Baylor Lady Bears. The La Vega High School standout scored 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting while hauling in eight rebounds and blocking five shots.
Dec. 17 – MBB – Floyd’s Season–High Leads SFA Past Texas State
Demetrious Floyd tied his season-high with 20 points and SFA hit six free throws over the final 1:21 to outlast Texas State, 66-60, in the return of former head coach Danny Kaspar to William R. Johnson Coliseum. The victory was the seventh in a row for the ‘Jacks.
Dec. 20 – WBB – Big Second Half Lifts SFA Over Arizona
Porsha Roberts scored 21 of her game-high 29 points in the second half, Tierany Henderson tied a career-high with 16 rebounds and the SFA women’s basketball team earned a big 72-60 victory over the Pac-12’s Arizona in non-conference action. Roberts went 11-for-16 from the field and grabbed nine boards to help her team to victory, earning SLC Player of the Week honors.
Dec. 23 – FB – Johnson Reels in Four All-America Honors
Senior running back Gus Johnson’s record-breaking 2014 season led to a handful of national accolades. Johnson was named a first team All-American by three different organizations with a second team honor and finished ninth in the voting for the 2014 Walter Payton Award.
Dec. 30 – MBB – Lumberjacks Extend Win Streak to Nine at Cal State Northridge
On the road facing a challenging Cal State Northridge squad, SFA improved to 7-0 in the month of December and pushed its win streak to nine games in a 61-57 thriller. Ty Charles led the squad with 17 points, and played a key role in the comeback victory.
Dec. 31 – WBB – SFA Rolls Southern Arkansas Behind Branch’s Career Night
Sophomore guard Brentney Branch scored a career-high 20 points to help the SFA women’s basketball team finish the 2014 calendar year with a 73-50 victory over Southern Arkansas on New Year’s Eve in William R. Johnson Coliseum. Branch knocked down a career-high six three-pointers on 10 attempts and made good on two free throw attempts on the night.
"Year of the `Jacks" By The Numbers
Regular Season Conference Titles: 9
Total Number of Conference Titles: 10
NCAA Postseason Appearances: 4
All-Americans: 7
National/USA Champions: 2
SLC Major Award Winners: 23
SLC Players of the Year: 6
SLC/National Coaches of the Year: 7
First team All-SLC selections: 43
Total All-SLC selections: 105
Capital One Academic All-District selections: 11
Capital One Academic All-Americans: 2
SLC Student-Athletes of the Year: 3
SLC All-Academic Team selections: 24
"Year of the `Jacks" Release Schedule
August/September: Friday, June 19
October: Friday, June 26
November: Friday, July 3
December: Friday, July 10
January: Friday, July 17
February: Friday, July 24
March: Friday, July 31
April: Friday, August 7
May/June: Friday, August 14
-SFA-
